Baseball Posts Win on Final Day of Regular Season

LAWTON, Okla. – The St. Mary's Baseball team wrapped up the regular season on a three-game winning streak after posting an 8-7 victory at Cameron on Sunday afternoon.
 
Four different Rattlers (25-25, 23-25 Lone Star) posted two-hit games as the team scored eight runs on 11 hits, while the Aggies (13-37, 13-35 LSC) scored seven runs on 10 hits.
 
Senior Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) was one of the four to record two hits. He also collected four RBI and extended his hitting streak to 25-straight. That breaks the St. Mary's record (in D2 era) of 24 held by Jesse Gutierrez from 2001.
 
In addition to going 2-for-4 at the plate, senior Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) was hit by another pitch, tying the all-time career record at StMU with his 59th hit by pitch. He ties David Nelson (2000-03) for the all-time mark.
 
Freshman Jacob King (San Antonio) and senior Clay Bradford (Atascocita, Texas) were the other two Rattlers to post two hits on the day and both of Bradford's hits were doubles as he now has 32 extra-base hits on the season.
 
Freshman Billy Baehr (San Antonio) was the first of four pitchers for the Rattlers, working three innings in a no decision. He allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and one strikeout. Fellow freshman Kaleb Gauna (Hondo, Texas) was on the hill for the next 3.1 frames. He also surrendered three runs, doing so on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
 
Junior Matt Bundy (Whitehouse, Texas) picked up the victory to move to 4-0 on the year after throwing 2.1 innings. He gave up one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts, while senior Brett Brown (Sinton, Texas) picked up his first save of the year after retiring the only batter he faced in the bottom of the ninth.
 
There were base runners in first two innings, but the Rattlers didn't break through on the scoreboard until the third. McGowen singled to deep at shortstop, was bunted to second on a sacrifice by Mares, stole third and scored on a single up the middle by King. King stole second and hustled to third on an overthrow attempting to get him at second, but he was stranded for the 1-0 score.
 
Cameron tied the game at 1-1 in the third, but a heads-up defensive play by the Rattlers got two baserunners out in a rundown along the third-base line and a snap throw by Devin Goins (San Antonio) to Mares, who was guarding second base. The Aggies added two runs in the bottom of the fourth for the 3-1 advantage.
 
Gauna struck out the side in the fifth and his offense took advantage. Rudy Solis (El Paso, Texas) singled past the shortstop and with one out, Jake Elizondo (San Antonio) added a single up the middle. McGowen had both the third baseman and shortstop diving for his sharply hit single to load the bases. A single down the left field line by Mares plated two to knot the score at 3-3. King advanced both McGowen and Mares on a groundout back to the pitcher and the Aggies elected to intentionally walk Bradford. Broughton was hit by a pitch to plate McGowen and the 4-3 lead.
 
The Aggies took a 6-4 lead in the seventh with three runs on two hits with a hit batter, a base on balls and the benefit of two wild pitches.
 
The Rattlers got one run back in the eighth as King walked with one out and moved to second on a passed ball. Senior Brandon Broughton (Corpus Christi, Texas) doubled down the left field line to score King and close within one, 6-5.
 
With one out, Goins walked to start things in the ninth. Jorge Cuevas (El Paso, Texas) entered to run and he moved up 90 feet on a walk issued to Elizondo. The pair pulled off the double steal and McGowen was hit by a pitch to tie the St. Mary's career record and load the bases. After a pitching change, Mares singled to right field, which scored two and a throwing error by the right fielder allowed McGowen to score and give StMU the 8-6 lead. The Aggies plated one in the bottom for the 8-7 final.
 
The Rattlers have qualified for the Lone Star Conference Tournament and will face St. Edward's in the first round. Details about the tournament will be announced at a later time.